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Retrospective: The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (1958)
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Mark R. Leeper
Apr 28, 2012, 11:15:13 AM4/28/12
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THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE (1958)
(a film retrospective by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Czech animator Karel Zeman, nearly forgotten
now, was a genius of the animated film. Here, as his
masterwork, he adapts a lesser novel by Jules Verne
into a highly creative screen adventure. Showing
great imagination on a tiny budget Zeman emulates the
look of the lithographs of Verne's early editions and
makes his film a pioneer in the style that since has
been dubbed "steampunk". Even though the style is
satirical it is also loving and the film still has the
power to captivate the viewer. Rating: +3 (-4 to +4)
or 9/10
Karel Zeman was one of the leading Czech animators with a career
from the 1940s to the 1980s, but his prime was in the 1950s and
1960s when he made films like JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME
(1955), THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE (1958), BARON MUNCHAUSEN
(1962) and THE STOLEN AIRSHIP (1966). His animation is punctuated
with impish humor. It is claimed that Zeman was inspired and
influenced by Georges M<UTF16-201A>li<UTF16-0160>s. But his own work was later much
imitated by Terry Gilliam and even Tim Burton. For THE FABULOUS
WORLD OF JULES VERNE he illustrated a Verne novel with animation in
the style of the Edouard Riou illustrations of Verne. The Riou
illustrations were as closely associated with the Verne narratives
as Tenniel's illustrations were for ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Riou was
a student of great illustrator Gustave Dore, and the early editions
of Jules Verne's novels featured lithographic illustrations by
Edouard Riou. Throughout the film Zeman brings to life the Riou
illustrations. In the Verne-like technology in the detail to show
us detail to the steel plate and rivets. Shades of gray will be
produced by lines of white and black as would be done in
lithographs.
The film claims to have been shot in a process dubbed "Mysti-
mation". This appears to be a process that involves mixing live-
action, animation, model work, puppets, stop-motion, and whatever
it takes to put an image on the screen. If the blend is not
entirely successful that becomes part of the joke. Zeman gives the
viewers the impression he is winking at them and offering a
conspiracy that neither will notice the rough edges. And this
viewer for one readily agreed.
The time is the world of Verne's novels, one with a world obsessed
with the miracles of science. The story starts with the main
character, one Simon Hart, traveling to visit the genius Professor
Roch. On his way he marvels at the then-modern wonders of science,
mostly taken from Verne novels. The effect is a symphony of steam
and steel. There are bicycle-like flying machines, submarines and
ships floating, huge train engines. The flying clipper Albatross
flies over Hart's head and Hart is impressed. The land, the sky,
and the water are filled with marvelous inventions of the modern
age.
Roch, the professor, lives on an isolated and well-protected island
where he is creating a new and highly powerful explosive. Unknown
to either the main character or Roch there are evil men plotting to
assault the island fortress, kidnap the professor, and steal the
secret of the explosive. They do and hart finds himself taken with
Roch. Behind it all is a villain with huge resources, Count
Artigas. Artigas has his own arsenal of very modern weapons
including a submarine that he uses to sink ships that are his
victims. Unable to steal Roch's science, he steals Roch and forces
the scientist to develop weapons for him.
Hart and Roch are taken to an even more isolated lab on a remote
and supposedly volcanic island. But the volcano is dormant. The
smoke that seems to come from it is really from the man-made
manufacturing plant within the volcano's crater. Can Hart and Roch
escape?
While all this is really based on an actual, though obscure, novel
by Verne, one can see a great deal of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
and other more familiar Verne stories as well as other Verne works
pulled into the story. Much of the tale is narrated which helps
keep down the amount of dubbing needed. The story is somewhat
rudimentary, but it is the visuals that are the chief attraction.
The plot is not as interesting as the retro-futuristic background.
Zeman creates his effect any way possible and does not worry about
preserving realism of scenes. In one sequence a pirate ropes a
man. The rope winds around the man in perfect uniform rows. The
viewer is fully aware that actor was wrapped very smoothly with the
rope, it is pulled off, and then the film is run backward. But
Zeman knows the effect will be fun and does not try to be
convincing. His style remains tongue-in-cheek and whimsical
throughout.
There is a totally superfluous prolog to the film by NBC game show
host and newsman Hugh Downs. Downs, from his 1961 vantage point,
reminds us how far science has come from Verne's day and how much
of the then-modern world was the fulfillment of Verne's visions.
Perhaps that was inspired by Edward R. Murrow's prologue to AROUND
THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956).
It should be noted that this is one of Joseph E. Levine's foreign
film discoveries. Levine was a film producer himself, being
responsible for films like THE CARPETBAGGERS, A BRIDGE TOO FAR, THE
GRADUATE, and ZULU. But he also would find foreign films that were
then not likely to be released in the US and would arrange a US
release. He did this with GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS; HERCULES
(1958); JACK THE RIPPER (1959); MORGAN THE PIRATE; and SANTA CLAUS
CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.
For a film made so far in advance of computer imaging and digital
special effects, this film goes a long way to create the mood of
Jules Verne's stories. It does that perhaps better than any other
film has ever done. I rate THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE a +3
on the -4 to +4 scale or 9/10.
THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE is available on YouTube. Part 1
is at
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6JMMItTcs>. At the end of each
part you can link to the next.
Film Credits: <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052374/>
What others are saying:
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fabulous_world_of_jules_verne/>
Mark R. Leeper
mle...@optonline.net
Copyright 2012 Mark R. Leeper
(a film retrospective by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Czech animator Karel Zeman, nearly forgotten
now, was a genius of the animated film. Here, as his
masterwork, he adapts a lesser novel by Jules Verne
into a highly creative screen adventure. Showing
great imagination on a tiny budget Zeman emulates the
look of the lithographs of Verne's early editions and
makes his film a pioneer in the style that since has
been dubbed "steampunk". Even though the style is
satirical it is also loving and the film still has the
power to captivate the viewer. Rating: +3 (-4 to +4)
or 9/10
Karel Zeman was one of the leading Czech animators with a career
from the 1940s to the 1980s, but his prime was in the 1950s and
1960s when he made films like JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME
(1955), THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE (1958), BARON MUNCHAUSEN
(1962) and THE STOLEN AIRSHIP (1966). His animation is punctuated
with impish humor. It is claimed that Zeman was inspired and
influenced by Georges M<UTF16-201A>li<UTF16-0160>s. But his own work was later much
imitated by Terry Gilliam and even Tim Burton. For THE FABULOUS
WORLD OF JULES VERNE he illustrated a Verne novel with animation in
the style of the Edouard Riou illustrations of Verne. The Riou
illustrations were as closely associated with the Verne narratives
as Tenniel's illustrations were for ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Riou was
a student of great illustrator Gustave Dore, and the early editions
of Jules Verne's novels featured lithographic illustrations by
Edouard Riou. Throughout the film Zeman brings to life the Riou
illustrations. In the Verne-like technology in the detail to show
us detail to the steel plate and rivets. Shades of gray will be
produced by lines of white and black as would be done in
lithographs.
The film claims to have been shot in a process dubbed "Mysti-
mation". This appears to be a process that involves mixing live-
action, animation, model work, puppets, stop-motion, and whatever
it takes to put an image on the screen. If the blend is not
entirely successful that becomes part of the joke. Zeman gives the
viewers the impression he is winking at them and offering a
conspiracy that neither will notice the rough edges. And this
viewer for one readily agreed.
The time is the world of Verne's novels, one with a world obsessed
with the miracles of science. The story starts with the main
character, one Simon Hart, traveling to visit the genius Professor
Roch. On his way he marvels at the then-modern wonders of science,
mostly taken from Verne novels. The effect is a symphony of steam
and steel. There are bicycle-like flying machines, submarines and
ships floating, huge train engines. The flying clipper Albatross
flies over Hart's head and Hart is impressed. The land, the sky,
and the water are filled with marvelous inventions of the modern
age.
Roch, the professor, lives on an isolated and well-protected island
where he is creating a new and highly powerful explosive. Unknown
to either the main character or Roch there are evil men plotting to
assault the island fortress, kidnap the professor, and steal the
secret of the explosive. They do and hart finds himself taken with
Roch. Behind it all is a villain with huge resources, Count
Artigas. Artigas has his own arsenal of very modern weapons
including a submarine that he uses to sink ships that are his
victims. Unable to steal Roch's science, he steals Roch and forces
the scientist to develop weapons for him.
Hart and Roch are taken to an even more isolated lab on a remote
and supposedly volcanic island. But the volcano is dormant. The
smoke that seems to come from it is really from the man-made
manufacturing plant within the volcano's crater. Can Hart and Roch
escape?
While all this is really based on an actual, though obscure, novel
by Verne, one can see a great deal of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
and other more familiar Verne stories as well as other Verne works
pulled into the story. Much of the tale is narrated which helps
keep down the amount of dubbing needed. The story is somewhat
rudimentary, but it is the visuals that are the chief attraction.
The plot is not as interesting as the retro-futuristic background.
Zeman creates his effect any way possible and does not worry about
preserving realism of scenes. In one sequence a pirate ropes a
man. The rope winds around the man in perfect uniform rows. The
viewer is fully aware that actor was wrapped very smoothly with the
rope, it is pulled off, and then the film is run backward. But
Zeman knows the effect will be fun and does not try to be
convincing. His style remains tongue-in-cheek and whimsical
throughout.
There is a totally superfluous prolog to the film by NBC game show
host and newsman Hugh Downs. Downs, from his 1961 vantage point,
reminds us how far science has come from Verne's day and how much
of the then-modern world was the fulfillment of Verne's visions.
Perhaps that was inspired by Edward R. Murrow's prologue to AROUND
THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956).
It should be noted that this is one of Joseph E. Levine's foreign
film discoveries. Levine was a film producer himself, being
responsible for films like THE CARPETBAGGERS, A BRIDGE TOO FAR, THE
GRADUATE, and ZULU. But he also would find foreign films that were
then not likely to be released in the US and would arrange a US
release. He did this with GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS; HERCULES
(1958); JACK THE RIPPER (1959); MORGAN THE PIRATE; and SANTA CLAUS
CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.
For a film made so far in advance of computer imaging and digital
special effects, this film goes a long way to create the mood of
Jules Verne's stories. It does that perhaps better than any other
film has ever done. I rate THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE a +3
on the -4 to +4 scale or 9/10.
THE FABULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE is available on YouTube. Part 1
is at
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6JMMItTcs>. At the end of each
part you can link to the next.
Film Credits: <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052374/>
What others are saying:
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fabulous_world_of_jules_verne/>
Mark R. Leeper
mle...@optonline.net
Copyright 2012 Mark R. Leeper
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